Month: October 2017

Asking druggies to turn in their drugs is like telling people who came into town in the wild west to turn in their guns to the sheriff. To cowboys, a gun was an indispensable tool for self-defense and it was always by their side. Likewise, drugs are an indispensable crutch for dopers who, like Gregor in Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” don’t want to face the world.

People hooked on drugs are just like a girl who can’t say “no”. They can’t say “no” to drugs. Why do you think they call it dope? Oh, I shouldn’t say that; it would hurt the snowflakes’ self-esteem.

You mean that humans actually have a will? A choice? What a novel idea!

“Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.” Psalm 32:9

In an interview on ligonier.com, Pastor and Christian counselor Jay E Adams explains the problem of the idea of self-esteem:

TT: How has the emphasis on “self-esteem” impacted the church, and how should Christians respond?

JA: “The emphasis is not biblical; consequently, wherever it is touted it has affected the church adversely.

The emphasis upon sin in a Christian’s life and the need to deal with it as God’s Word requires, in many places, has been replaced by teaching that we are better than we think—when just the opposite is in most cases true.

I have dealt with the topic at length and demonstrated how far-removed it is from a biblical view in a book titled The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, and Self-Image.

In order to provide a base for such teaching, the Bible—and even the gospel—have been distorted. For instance, Jesus speaks of two commandments: to love God and neighbor; thus, the emphasis on self-esteem directly contradicts Him.

Moreover, God’s grace in saving miserable sinners has been replaced by heretical teaching, such as saying that it is because we are so valuable that Christ came to redeem us. Not all who hold self-esteem views go so far, but many do.

We need to have a biblically based view of our true position in Christ in order to have a biblical perspective on ourselves.“

Trying to deal with the opioid epidemic, which some consider a national emergency, people are blaming it all on the drug pushers and drug companies, when the real reason is that we pushed out God. Druggies are made victims.

A breath of fresh air: At an event at the Heritage Foundation Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said it’s important to “reestablish the view that people should say no to drugs.”

In Levittown, PA, the alleged emergency shelter has a waiting list. Why? Because of the cockroaches who don’t want to face the world, many come from the recovery houses and, like the drunks, go in and out of the shelter’s revolving door – in and out of what has become a flop house for dopers and drunks. People who are just homeless, and just need a place to stay have to live with criminals and may have to deal with harassment, theft and even violence. I got word that one of the women who mugged a homeless woman had stayed in the shelter but was said to have been living in the woods outside the local tech school. The other is wheeling around at large. To my knowledge, neither have been arrested for the mugging. One of them is allegedly a druggy and the other a glutton.

Druggies, enabled by the establishment, who tells them they are victims of a disease called “substance abuse disorder” are as cavalier about scoring drugs as people are about buying milk.

“THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS DONATED TO US. WE ARE LESS THEN HALF-WAY TO OUR GOAL

So far we have raised $3000.00 of our $5000.00 goal, we still need your support!

As you may know, AHTN lost funding from one of our major supporters and because of this, we now have a $100K shortfall. Our AHTN Board members and staff have been working hard to find alternate ways to raise this money back, but it won’t come quickly.

One way in which you can help is to donate any amount to AHTN and we will receive a matching gift from two generous volunteers. They will match up to $5,000, please help us raise $10,000 with this Volunteer Matching Gift Challenge! “

I was just listening to a radio talk show host who said that liberals can’t do math, and they don’t even know what it is.

AHTN’s mission is as big a boondoggle as is The Minister of Silly Walks:

“Up at Cody’s camp I spent my days, oh, With flat-car riders and cross-tie walkers” sang John Fogerty in Creedence Clearwater Revival’s song “Green River.” Lately, I’ve been spending my days with Sandi at a nursing home with nurses and their aides. Deh Deh Deh-deh…

I met Sandi early winter almost three years ago. She had COPD and had survived pneumonia and standing water in a tent during cool weather. Sandi, who had been homeless in Bristol, PA, joined the ranks of the homeless in Levittown, PA when I met her. She had trouble walking far because of her breathing.

I had lost my job and was about to lose my house. Some homeless people I befriended told me about a free bus that takes people to community meals. Sandi and I started riding the bus together. After the public library closed, she waited outside until the Code Blue bus came. I had a Wawa gift card from a Christmas party a local church graciously gave needy people and walked to the Wawa and got coffee for Sandi and I.

When it was too warm for Code Blue, I asked a homeless friend to help her set up at Camp Bob, where the homeless could sleep overnight after I wrote a letter to the judge at my friend’s request.

I got my car back, and I drove Sandi to Code Blue and picked her up at the library where the bus dropped her off in the morning. We’d go to a fast food restaurant for coffee and a bite to eat, after which she slept in my car under blankets. One morning, she stayed in the car while I went inside for coffee and eats and went on my laptop and the net. We drove off as usual to the library when it opened.

When we got out of the car at the library, Sandi started removing her coat in 30-degree weather. When we got inside, she threw up in the lady’s room. When she came out, she was disoriented. A homeless friend urged me to take her to the ER, where they found a brain tumor and that she had stage IV lung cancer that metastasized to the brain and liver. I learned that before she left Code Blue, she kept pouring coffee and it spilled out. Sandi told me her head felt like an axe was going through her head.

After being an in patient for a while, where she got caught trying to sneak a smoke, Sandi underwent radiation for brain cancer. After a few months, the doctor cleared her and Sandi got chemo for lung and liver cancer for a year. Cancer returned to the liver, and the new treatment, Opdivo, knocked it out.

Sandi got increasingly tired, so much so that she stopped going to her old church and to community meals with me. She also stopped her physical therapy. I pushed her to at least walk with her walker.

Then she came to a crunching halt, unable to get out of bed and stopped eating and drinking. To the ER again. She had been to hospitals a few times for short visits. This time was different. The brain cancer, which you cannot re-treat, crept back in, and after a short hospital stay, was taken to the nursing home.

TakingcareofSandihastaughtmealot. The Lord’s been teaching me not to allow circumstances to dictate my joy in life. And to appreciate and care for Sandi in her current state, putting myself in her shoes. She’s not down at Green River dancing in the moonlight, although in her day I’m told she was quite a dancer.

Although she speaks softly, Sandi can hold a conversation. She still has her sarcastic humor. When I once asked her if she was OK, she quipped “I will be if you quit bugging me.” Today, as I was sitting by her bedside, Sandi told me I looked like a big bug.

People, made in the image of God, have intrinsic value. Being born in sin, we all have our flaws. One of Sandi’s is smoking. I read at her cancer center that 7 out of 10 smokers who contract lung cancer continue this foolish, destructive behavior. About a year ago, Sandi quit smoking. Just a matter of the will, of which hers is very strong. It may be too late.

I thought it ironic that Sandi’s relatives from North Carolina were outside smoking. It’s not just these southerners. If it was, I could just use the phrase a former Navy shipmate would use when he thought a southerner did something dumb: “He’s a grit, man.” I shake my head when I see nurses here outside smoking.

My physical education/health class instructor in college said he’d like to go down south and burn down all the tobacco fields, but told us that he didn’t really plan to do this. He said he was just trying to make a point about how bad smoking is for your health.

There’s an old German saying “Why is it we get so soon old but so late smart.”

I’m also learning to rest in God’s will to find peace about Sandi’s condition. The Serenity Prayer applies:

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.”

Sandi’s cancer is in God’s hands. The medical report looks grim, but There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Sandi’s cancer doctor said people generally live a few months after getting the brain cancer she has. It’s going on three years! Some say that Sandi’s too stubborn to let cancer take her. In any case, God controls the horizontal; God controls the vertical.

What I seem to be changing is Sandi’s attitude by staying by her side, encouraging her, reading Biblical materials, praying, and showing my loyalty. Also feeding her. Sandi’s been eating and drinking very well these past couple weeks. I remind her we are a team.

Sandi told me that Jesus is in her heart – that she believes Jesus died for her sins. She’s ready for the hereafter. Are you?

Interesting, AHTN, the alleged homeless advocates in Bucks County, PA, known for using fake homeless people to make a video about homelessness, has set its fundraising goal for Halloween. It’s always been trick or treat with this bunch.

Our October 31st deadline is quickly approaching…

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS DONATED TO US. WE ARE ALMOST TO OUR GOAL!!

So far we have raised $2284.00, of the $5000.00 we are hoping to raise. Please help spread the word so that we can reach our goal.

As you may know, AHTN lost funding from one of our major supporters and because of this, we now have a $100K shortfall. Our AHTN Board members and staff have been working hard to find alternate ways to raise this money back, but it won’t come quickly.

One way in which you can help is to donate any amount to AHTN and we will receive a matching gift from two generous volunteers. They will match up to $5,000, please help us raise $10,000 with this Volunteer Matching Gift Challenge!

Yes, I know that AHTN lost funding from one of their major supporters. Gee, I wonder why?

Could it be that Saint Mary Medical Center, the former major supporter, got wise to what AHTN has been doing? I’m friends with Saint Mary on Facebook and people in the organization may have discovered the truth about AHTN from my blogs. No wonder Pastor Joe, related to the AHTN president, went out of his way to avoid me at a funeral he officiated. The Emperor, nor his wife, et al, doesn’t like to be told he’s parading around with no clothes. How dare anyone rat out an august institution such as this!

It certainly is fitting that AHTN set its goal for Halloween. And they are ready! They’ve been masquerading as homeless advocates all year long, as they do every year.

In Bucks County, PA, people don’t like to pay attention to the man behind the curtain. Like the Wizard of Oz, who is hiding his real self behind the curtain, there are people want their real self and motives to be hidden, and there are those who don’t want to see what’s behind the curtain to avoid having their pre-conceived notions, particularly of the homeless, overturned.

When you get past the smoke and mirrors created by organizations in Bucks County who are believed to help the homeless, you see they are not what you think they are.

As was the case with the Wizard after the little dog Toto opened Oz’s curtain, people are wising up to the august institutions in Bucks. And it’s more about making a buck and do-gooder image than helping people.

$100,000 is what AHTN has lost. That being such a large sum, I had that figure in my mind. Before Saint Mary cut funding, AHTN’s budget, according to the article in the Bucks County Courier Times, was $220,000/year! Wow! Where does all that money go? Occasionally they put homeless people up in a motel, occasionally transport people to doctors and such, support a rejuvenation station, and take the homeless and those in need to community meals and code blues (winter). Is there a lot of overhead? Maybe lots of it going to those on salary? I’ve seen reports on the various charitable organizations that show how much of each dollar taken in goes to the recipients – those who are being helped. Some organizations give a greater percentage of money taken in that goes to the needy than others. Wonder what this ratio of funds coming in to AHTN go to the homeless and needy and how much is “pocketed.”

A few observations over about the past three years: Awhile back, AHTN spent money to have a handicapped assisted bus. One handicapped woman used the handicapped access. It was trumpeted in the media. A reporter came on ATHN’s bus and went to a community meal to interview the woman. Soon after the hype was over, to my knowledge she stopped using the service nor did any other handicapped people. Symbolism over substance.

Speaking of the bus, AHTN labels the transportation to homeless meals “wheels to meals.” Until recently, I thought the service was connected to Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers meals to seniors who have trouble getting out. I could better understand where all the money goes if AHTN was doing Meals on Wheels. Of course, we know that non-profits are not about slick Madison Avenue advertising. Not unless we look behind the curtain.

The curtain was opened in the aftermath of innocent people having their bike locks cut when they were legally parked at the Levittown public library. Because it was believed that some people abandoned their bikes there, all the locks were arbitrarily cut. In this matter AHTN was smoke and mirrors. An “advocate” met with the librarian, who said she made an announcement about the cutting of the bike locks, and that was the end of AHTN involvement in the matter.

The most egregious thing AHTN did was give a free pass to a homeless guy who came to a community meal drunk and physically and verbally attacked another guest. Rather than earn disfavor with a homeless lynch mob, stirred up by lies a formerly homeless queen circulated, AHTN helped let the drunk and disorderly homeless guy off the hook. He was allowed to continue to ride the bus and attend the meal there while the victim, who did nothing but rope-a-dope when the drunken maniac went after him, was banned from the bus and the meals. Even if the victim did say something “mean” about the homeless, which he didn’t, he didn’t bring it to the meal. Evidently, the homeless guy did.

Someone from AHTN got the victim back to the meals, but I suspect that’s just because they think the victim will drop the law suit. Let the Sword of Damocles hang over their head! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damocles

In a recent blog I addressed how, when you call out individuals who happen to be homeless, some folks in the group act like you are attacking all of them. People were accused, through blogs and verbally, of badmouthing the homeless after they just called out certain individuals for bad behavior, which effects other homeless people and “those in need” who interact with the homeless.

In past blogs I have said that in places such as Bucks County, PA, the homeless are treated the way blacks were treated during the Jim Crow South. Largely due to Martin Luther King’s campaign for equality, blacks in America are equal and are free from oppression. Today people are on a campaign to do the same for the homeless, preaching to judge people not by the place where they live but by the quality of their character.

Likewise, some homeless people, and some homeless advocates (particularly in Dover Delaware) play the homeless card. All for one and one for all works for the Three Musketeers, for people doing good, but people shouldn’t unite, circle the wagons to protect someone who does wrong. This has become the hallmark of the Democratic party, except when ratting someone out benefits someone in the party.

As is the case with the race hustlers, playing the homeless card is counterproductive. That card will eventually ware out. It certainly is getting old with me! So all for one and one for all when someone comes to the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Levittown, PA drunk and trashes the place out, then, with this logic, you kick everyone who happens to be homeless out!

In his concurring opinion in a U.S. Supreme Court case that ruled affirmative action, the program started by Tricky Dick Nixon (have to bash both sides of the aisle), where employers and colleges are required to hire a certain quota of “minorities” unconstitutional, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that using race as a basis to hurt or even benefit someone is racist.

Likewise, using homelessness as a basis to hurt or give a free pass to (like coming to a community meal drunk, cursing loudly and attacking people or ganging up on a homeless woman because you have a problem with her) is equally hobophobic (for those of you in Doylestown, the irrational fear and distain of homeless people).

So, just as you shouldn’t be afraid of the reaper, you shouldn’t be afraid of the blog. Don’t confuse blog with the blob that has appeared in old science fiction movies.

Blending in with the neighborhood is one of the nice things about Kenton Woman’s Village, a well designed community for the homeless set in an established residential community. The village doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb. Unlike many places who don’t want the homeless in their neighborhood, most of the neighbors welcome the residents of the village. In fact, they helped build it.

The village consists of clean lined tiny homes, designed by local architectural firms. Catholic Charities operate the village under contract with the county. Residents have to pass a background check and have a case worker through Catholic Charities.

The goal of the community is to work towards permanent housing. There is security 24/7 and a full-time manager. Funny, one of the reasons the president of The Advocates for The Homeless and Those in Need (AHTN) in Bucks County, PA poo-pooed my proposal to join the non-profit another guy and I were trying to launch in our effort to provide more housing for the homeless was that 24/7 security would be needed.

Across the river in Burlington Township, New Jersey, homeless advocates, Citizens Serving The Homeless, have drawn up a plan, made a drawing of the proposed community. The neighbors were very hostile at the meeting the homeless advocates held this past February. This did not deter the advocates. They are pressing on and even hired a lawyer to help pave the way for the homeless community.

Like the Kenton Women’s Village, the Burlington project’s goal is to give the homeless a hand up and help them become self-sufficient and will provide mentoring.

The biggest hurdle to jump to create housing for the homeless is accepting the homeless, welcoming them into the community. People should get to know the homeless, and not base their attitudes on stereotypes. Maybe if they get to know them, know all about them, they may like them. Picture the homeless, an association of homeless people, have a slogan: “Don’t talk about us; talk with us.”

I’ve talked with and hung out with the homeless in Bucks County, PA. I’ve read books, searched stories and opinions about the homeless on the Internet and have divined that they are not the walking dead, they are not all panhandlers, druggies, thieves, drunks, violent. Certainly some are. One reason people are prejudice against the homeless is that, although they may be spread out like tribes, they are a group that have in common just being homeless.

Some of the tribes are hostile, mainly with each other and on some occasions, most often driven by booze, with non-homeless people who come to community meals. Some tribes act like the schoolboys in The Lord of The Flies, where they attack others in the group. Recently in Bucks county two women ganged up on another woman. Reminds me of what Ann Coulter wrote about the barbaric Celts in her book Mugged, that the women were more brutal than the men.

When homeless people ape the characters in the novel, the community, which in many cases already have some deep-seated stereotypes of the homeless, will not warm up to them.

The Women’s Kenton homeless village does background checks as will the Citizens Serving The Homeless for their homeless community. As is the case with any complex, people need to be screened to ensure peace and civility in the community. Civilized, not anti-social behavior is the key to helping the homeless as is understanding them and getting to know people as individuals. We can overcome homelessness.

“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you.” -Leviticus 25:35-36

Accountability to taxpayers is paramount in using funds for programs. HUD has been riddled with waste and graph, and the doctor has a remedy for HUDs ills and Secretary Carson will really help the homeless with this housing first approach.

An article in the guardian.com, with the headline “Entire homelessness agency could be eliminated by Trump’s budget cuts” concedes at least knowing the reason for recent budget cuts to HUDs homeless funding:

The cuts are explained in the proposal as reflecting a commitment to “fiscal responsibility”, and it foresees the slack being taken up by state and local governments and the private sector.

Fiscal responsibility, eliminating waste, is key to having a healthy economy, which prevents homelessness. The private sector should take up the balk of helping the homeless. And when you cut taxes that fund wasteful government spending, the private sector has more money to help the homeless. Awhile back, pastor Rick Warren, who works with the private sector to help people, stated that with the high taxes, people didn’t have as much money to help others and funds dwindled under President BO.

The private sector, neighbors, churches, can get to know the needy and can better serve all their needs. In Bucks County, PA, churches give the homeless meals, clothing and take-home food. Churches also minister to the homeless, as I discussed in previous blogs.

Although the private sector cannot complete distinguish the slacker from the homeless who are serious about moving on up, it does a much better job of this than does the government. For the government and its cronies, it’s about keeping an agency funded. With the private sector, it’s neighbor helping neighbor.

In Bucks County a mental health hustler program’s funding was cut. Under this program, a mental health hustler approaches homeless people in an attempt to shanghai them to get taxpayer funds to buy them a ticket on the disoriented express that takes them to Penndel Mental Health Center, where people are legally doped up and are worse after they come out than when they came in.

It was laughable that the Courier Times said that cutting funds for this failed program, which allegedly gets housing for the homeless, hurts the homeless. This cut I understand goes all the way up to The Donald. Good job President Trump! We’re draining the swamp in Bucks County, which is a huge job.

Buck’s Rapid Response Team got a guy out of the woods and into housing. Took only three years!

What I like about HUD’s Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program is that it’s priority is getting people housing, which is what helping the homeless is all about. What a novel idea: help the homeless find a home! One of the Bucks County mental health hustlers told me he doesn’t believe in housing first – that people have to get straight before they get housing. Talk about stereotyping homeless people. This policy helps guarantee business for the mental health industry.

The so-called emergency shelter in Levittown, PA has a waiting list of a few months, thanks to the inordinate amount of recovery homes in the area and the revolving door policy towards druggies and drunks. When people without substance abuse or other problem finally get into the shelter, they are subject to theft, violence, and harassment from those who display anti-social behavior.

One homeless people get a home, under this program, they can take care of any other problems they may have. In Bucks County, it’s axiomatic that homeless people need the services of a government sanctioned mental health center. People can find help on their own – through the church. Many churches have 12 step programs – some of them have programs that help people with any bad habits, hurts and hang ups, such as Celebrate Recovery, a national program which has local chapters. http://newlifephilly.net/celebrate-recovery

It is tax and spend progressives that create homelessness, today as it did during FDR’s New Raw Deal. Of course President Herbert Hoover and others contributed to homelessness. Where progressives rule, homelessness thrives. This HUD program shows promise and the social cancer of homelessness has a chance to be cured, now that there’s a good doctor in the house!

It’s wonderful when people who are at odds reconcile, like Euodia and Syntyche in the church at Philippi. The apostle Paul urged them to reconcile their differences, as it was hurting the ministry of the church.

A guest at a community meal for the homeless and those in need at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Penndel, PA, was at odds with a member of Redeemer, Redeemer, and members of the Advocates for The Homeless and Those in Need (AHTN). The guest filed a civil suit against them.

Rewind to October, 2015. A homeless guy came to the community meal at Redeemer drunk and verbally and physically assaulted this guest, just clipping him when he threw a punch at him. He threatened me because he didn’t like the way I looked at him, as I was aghast at his behavior. When a woman told him that he was spoiling her meal, he replied “I don’t give a f***!” It took three male hosts to pull the drunken guest away.

The victim showed great self-control, not even verbally arguing with this maniac. Yet, when the police approached the victim, an officer told him he had to leave because that’s what Redeemer Lutheran church wanted.

The victim was banned from the meal at Redeemer Lutheran and the AHTN bus, but the drunken and disorderly homeless guy could continue to ride the bus and go to the community meals at Redeemer.

Tuesday night, after an ATHN member listed in the law suit worked things out, the guest who filed the law suit was allowed back. At the meal, he talked with the woman from AHTN. After he talked with her, one of the hosts called her over to the kitchen to talk with her. She pointed to the guest who was railroaded. The drunk and disorderly guest was also at the meal Tuesday night, yet, as the railroaded guest pointed out, she didn’t point at him.

In our culture war our Christian heritage is being turned upside down. In The New World Order, which George Soros, et al is trying to usher in, good becomes evil. There are no moral absolutes. Nearly two years ago, Redeemer Church and AHTN kowtowed to the Lynch mob. False witness about the victim, started largely by a formerly homeless woman, circulated through the homeless community and poisoned minds, and left a stench.

I hope Redeemer Lutheran Church and AHTN realizes what they did was wrong and they didn’t just make concessions to avoid the hassle of the lawsuit. It may be, however, that because they realized that there are people who see what happened was wrong and sent a message, they know they were wrong. This is what happened with Martin Luther King’s campaign for equal rights. America is not inherently a racist nation. Dr. King’s marches called attention to America getting off track and not living up to its principles, so as a result of his campaign, we got back on track. I pray that these institutions that went astray get back on the right track, just as I hope the wayward churches in the rest of America get in sync with Biblical truths.

Read what Dr. King said, in his own words from his letter from Birmingham jail. Lengthy, but worth it:

Sunday night was a modern version of the 1929 Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre, where seven guys from the North Side gang were murdered. Only on steroids! Las Vegas was the big one Sunday night. In Tullytown, PA, Sunday night a guy allegedly murdered his girlfriend.

Not long ago, a homeless woman was beaten up by another homeless woman, ganged up on as the assailant allegedly had an accomplice, with whom the victim had an ongoing feud, who held her while the other one punched her. Nobody tried to intervene and no witnesses came forward. The police are not exactly passionately pursing the matter. After all, the conventional wisdom in Bucks County, PA is that homeless people are supposed to act that way. Facts show otherwise. The creep who shot up people in Las Vegas lived in a retirement community, and the guy who allegedly shot his girlfriend is not homeless.

Today people seem to have a lot of anger. I’ve heard couples quarreling, parents yelling at kids… Instead of trying to work things out, have a conversation, or, when things start to get out of hand, walk away, they attack! People are concerned about self, their ego, and rather than act civilly, attack, even kill others! Rather than attack, either verbally or physically, someone I have a problem with I walk away and keep my distance from, including a member of the Suburban Ganstas who allegedly was involved in the attack of a homeless woman in Bucks County.

Blame shifting and greed, including gluttony, can trigger anger, which can translate into violence.

Because a former homeless person circulated lies about innocent people, people became hostile towards and in some cases, physically attacked them.

False rumors have been going around about a few people, including myself.

That they are slashing people’s tents

Response to that charge:

A reliable source told me that a drug crazed guy thought his girlfriend was having relations with all the other homeless guys so he quixotically slashed every tent in the woods he came across.

That they are verbally and through blogs badmouthing homeless people

Response to that charge:

People have stepped up and said something about individual homeless people and held them accountable for their behavior, just like they would anyone. For example, a particular homeless person came to a community meal drunk and disorderly. He verbally and physically assaulted others, on more than one occasion, cursing and disrupting meals for everyone else and on one occasion knocked someone down, causing a cut on the back of his head. The truth of this outlandish behavior was the subject of blogs.

Unlike the Bucks County establishment, the individuals charged with badmouthing the homeless call the individual, not the group (the homeless) out. As a result, the community meals have become virtually drama free, a place where friends can comfort and edify one another, the way it should be in the homeless community.

The homeless in Queen Anne Woods did not fare as well. The Chief Bucks County Ranger, Steve Long, told me the raid on the homeless was a result of complaints from neighbors who found syringes and other drug paraphernalia in the woods. There was also trash. And the rescue squad had to drag at least two druggies who overdosed out of those woods.

There are examples in other homeless areas where certain individuals created problems and caused everybody to get booted.

Group think, where people attack the whole group when an individual does something wrong or when people in the group circle the wagons and act like when someone attacks an individual in the group they are attacking all of them, is a problem. The “us against them” is counterproductive, at least in the case when individuals in the group are doing wrong and the group acquiesces. This hurts the group.

Dealing with anger

Awhile back, I read a blog in Our Daily Bread entitled Angry Prayers, where the writer showed how God can help us deal with anger. “But when we choose to cling to our anger, we become mired in the trap of bitterness, ever moving forward. And the only cure for anger is truth,” the blogger wrote.

We may be angry and think that “we don’t deserve this”. Actually, when you think of it, the blogger explained, we don’t get what we deserve. God cut us a lot of slack by not giving our sinful selves what we deserve. He showed mercy. Mercy is not giving us all the punishment we deserve, and God’s grace is Him giving us what we don’t deserve.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.“ –James 1:19,20